Abstract When a dairy calf is reared, it is separated from its mother, to allow the mother’s milk to be used for human consumption. Calves reared manually should be in a healthy and safe environment and with efficient use of resources. The choice of milk replacer or whole milk, and the equipment, amount and frequency with which it is fed must all be given meticulous thought and, importantly, kept as consistent as possible from day-to-day so that calves know what to expect. The details of how best to do this are elaborated in this article, as are three short case studies that highlight three incorrect practices in calf feeding and how they were corrected. Information © The Author 2023